The housing and storing of equestrian paraphernalia presents certain problems with respect to supporting and storing the same when not in use. This pertains to such items as saddles, stirrups and straps, saddle pads, boots, leather dressing, and various other accouterments normally used in regard to equestrian activity. Frequently, a saddle is simply thrown over the upper edge of a stall divider, or in some circumstances, even a fence rail. Especially in regard to modern expensive saddles and the like, however, and particularly where saddles and related elements are not housed in a stable or the like, it is desirable to provide certain types of racks or boxes to support the same and contain them when not in use. Various developments have been made heretofore for purposes of supporting or storing saddles and the like under certain circumstances. For example, prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,809,755 to Martorello, dated Oct. 15, 1957, discloses a closet arrangement formed in the forward end of a horse trailer for purposes of containing a saddle. Also, especially for use in stables, suitable racks have been developed heretofore such as those disclosed in prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,912, to Wilmoth, dated Sept. 5, 1972 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,971 to De Filipps, dated Dec. 25, 1973, in which metal racks are illustrated of the type that are adapted to be secured to a vertical wall in a barn or stable and extend horizontally therefrom to receive a saddle with the stirrups draped from opposite sides.
The present invention has been devised for ready portable use and comprises a box-like structure having supporting rails described in greater detail hereinafter. In some respects, the preferred embodiment of the invention somewhat resembles a carpenter's or mechanic's toolbox, one example of which is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,944 to De Napoli, dated Oct. 31, 1978, which is simply a rectangular box having a single elongated handle rail extending above a closed top. Also, it is old to provide combination sawhorses and tool chests in which it might be considered that the top rail of the sawhorse might be a suitable support for a saddle. Combination sawhorses and tool chests are illustrated in certain prior U.S. patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,404,266 to Brouner, dated Jan. 24, 1922, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,727,543 to Polselli, dated Dec. 20, 1955.
Still another holder and kit of interest is found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,592,212 to Turner, dated Apr. 8, 1952, and comprising a nursing bottle holder in which a central rail extends between end members of a box-like arrangement for purposes of supporting a nursing bottle.
While the art referred to above is representative of a number of different types of box-like supports and containers for a number of different items, the present invention has been designed particularly to support equestrian equipment, such as saddles, bridles, boots, and similar leather accouterments, as well as leather dressing materials and otherwise, and includes features not found in the prior art in the same relationship and for certain novel purposes, details of which are set forth below.